Sandy Hook Promise is shining a light on these key facts and statistics about gun violence.
Every number you see stands for a person, often a child, with hopes, dreams, and loved ones who cherished them. Children and families in the U.S. are facing a vast problem, but you can help.
Share these facts, learn the warning signs, and act to protect them before it’s too late.
1. Each day 12 children die from gun violence in America. Another 32 are shot and injured.1
2. Guns are a leading cause of death among American children and teens. In a 2022 study, firearms were the leading cause of death for children and teens (ages 1-17).2
3. Since the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, more than 390,000 students in the U.S. have experienced gun violence at school.3
4. According to the Gun Violence Archive, 2024 saw more than 1,400 children and teens (ages 0-17) die by firearms and more than 3,700 injured. There is help for victims and survivors of gun violence. 4
5. An estimated 4.6 million American children live in a home where at least one gun is kept loaded and unlocked. These improperly stored weapons have contributed to school shootings, suicides, and the deaths of family members, including infants and toddlers.5
6. Nearly half of all parents with a weapon in the home wrongly believe their children don’t know where a gun is stored.6 Secure storage of firearms prevents tragedies.
7. When people see the warning signs and get help, we can end school shootings. In 4 out of 5 school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker’s plan but failed to report it.7
8. Almost all mass school shooters shared threatening or concerning messages or images. More than 75% raised concern from others prior to the attacks. Bystanders saw warning signs in most documented active shooter cases. 8 Truly, you can prevent school shootings when you know the signs.
Disparately and disproportionately impacted children and adults face higher risk of being victimized by gun violence. Despite economic factors, gender, racial, mental health conditions or sexual orientation, everyone has the right to be safe in their classrooms and communities.
9. Children living in poverty – urban and rural – are more likely to die due to gun violence than their more affluent peers.9
10. About 1 out of 5 gay and lesbian youth have been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property.10
11. Black youth are four times more likely to be killed with guns than their white peers.11
12. Children of color are far more likely to experience campus gun violence. It’s more than twice as much for Hispanic students and over three times as much for Black students.11
13. The majority of individuals with diagnosed mental illness do not engage in violence against others.12
14. Lastly, it must be remembered that 90% of teenagers killed in an act of dating violence were girls.13
Real change in how America approaches gun reform and school safety isn’t possible without people like you. Because of our supporters and volunteers, we’ve helped prevent hundreds of incidents involving weapons at schools across the country, including school shooting plots.
Get the facts and share to help raise awareness.
Stay informed on what Sandy Hook Promise is doing to help prevent gun violence in schools, homes and communities.
Sources:
1. New England Journal of Medicine
2. The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions
6. American Academy of Pediatrics
7. U.S. Department of Education and Secret Service
9. Contemporary Pediatrics and The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics
10. U.S. Centers for Disease Control
12. National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Medical Director Institute
13. JAMA Pediatrics
